Oil and gas separator



Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE 2,169,156 OILYAND'GAS sEPAnAToR Lisander Losure, Marion,Ind., assignor of onethird to Milford F. Smith and one-third to RobertA. Bruce, both of Marion, Ind.

Application October 15, 1937, Serial No. 169,266

Letters Patent No. 609,284, granted to me August 16, 1898.

I One of the improvements consists in conduct-- ing the gas and liquiddirectly from the oil well or other supply in through the bottom orlower portion of a poised tank of suitable dimensions and capacity,discharging it at suitably elevated 10 points within the tank,preferably through a twoway T, where it hits the top of the T causingthe gas to condense faster at this point, whereby the liquid dischargesinto the tank in two directions and hits the opposite sides of the tankat II at least two points.

It further consists in the utilization of a globe valve forautomatically controlling the dischargeof the oil and water from thelower part of the tank.

20 The present invention further consists of a gas outlet pipe whichextends from the lower end of the tank to a point near the top, where itis provided with a four-way T orcross which takes the gas from the upperend of the tank at a I point well above the liquid level, thereby makingit impossible for any of the oil or water in the tank to issue into thepipe from this point, the three-way inlet merging into one pipe,precluding the possibility of fluid entering the pipe at l this point.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

15 Fig. 3 is a vertical section-on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The numeral i represents a tank, preferably cylindrical in form and ofsufficient dimensions and capacity to meet the requirements of theseparator. Trunnions 2 extend outwardly in op- .0 posite directions,whereby the tank is poised in the fork 3 of the lever 4. This lever ispivotally mounted at 5 on the upright 6, which latter is secured to abase 1.

The numeral 8 indicates the inlet pipe for air 5 and water, or oil,water and gas. This is also an inlet for steam and water when used onsteam lines to take solid water or condensed steam out 01' the steamline. In other words, in all instances this pipe 8 is the inlet pipe.This pipe 8 extends 0 upwardly through the lower end of the tank for asuitable distance .within the tank, and at the upper end it is providedwith a T 9, which the inflowing liquid and gas strike, causing same todischarge with considerable force against the 5 walls of the tank at twodifierent points.

A gas outlet pipelll extends through the tank from a point near the topand preferably between the center and the wall of the tank and leads toa gas repository (not shown). This pipe has a four-way T or cross II atthe upper inlet end 5 through which the gas enters from the upper end ofthe tank i at three difl'erent points, whence it descends through thetank and out through the discharge end of the pipe ll.

By the use of this T and its location at the top 10 of the tank, it isimpossible to draw liquid out through the gas line, there being threeinlets from three different directions all merged into the one gasoutlet pipe.

The numeral 42 represents an outlet pipe for oil and water. It extendsfrom the lower portion of the tank i through a globe valve i3. Thisglobe valve is adjustably' connected with a support l4 mounted on thebase l-by means of the lock nuts IS. The outlet pipe I2 is where liquidsor waste may be discharged after the separation from the dry air or gas.Condensation might also be discharged here after being separated fromsteam, provided this is desired.

Short hose l6 and I1 are connected with the pipes 8 and I0,respectively, providing the flexibility necessary to allow the tank tomove freely up and down to operate the valve i3.

Small spigots 24 and 25 are arranged at diflerent elevations in thetank, the lowermost of which 25, when opened, should always show liquid.By means of this precaution, gas is prevented from escaping through theglobe valve 1 3 and pipe II.

The number of spigots varies with the height of the tank.

When the separator is set up for operation, the liquid is first allowedto fill the tank just above the lowermost spigot 25. The weight W isthen adjusted on the lever 4, so as to balance the tank I and cause theglobe valve l3 to close. As the level of the liquid rises in the tank,its weight W will overbalance, thus causing the lowering of the tank,thereby opening the globe valve l3 and thus allowing an amount of liquidto pass out through the pipe 2 corresponding to the liquid and gas beingfe into the tank through the supply pipe 8.

A frame or derrick 2!, preferably of angle-iron, supports the entiremechanism. At the bottom of the derrick, a guide pin 23 extends upwardlyfrom the base I through a hole iii in a cross-bar if! at the bottom ofthe tank I for the purpose of guiding the tank in its upward anddownward movement.

With this mechanism as herein described, a

comparatively simple and inexpensive apparatus is provided forseparating natural gas from oil.

I claim:

The combination of a support, a balancing lever pivoted thereon, afloating tank poised on the lever, an inlet pipe secured to the tank andflexibly connected to a supply pipe, a T on the discharge end of theinlet pipe which temporarily arrests the infiowing mixture and thendischarges it laterally within the tank, whereby to break up the mixtureand liberate any lighter than air portion of the mixture, an outlet pipesecured to the tank, and having a flexible extension outside of thetank, a pipe extending down from the upper end of the tank, andconnected with and discharging into this outlet pipe, and having anopen-ended cross at its upper end, which presents a plurality ofopenings to the lighter than air contents of the upper end of the tank,a pipe leading from the tank and. having a valve therein connected withthe support, and automatically controlled by the movement of the tank,and means for limiting and controlling any lateral movement of the lowerend of the tank, thereby preventing undue strain upon the automaticallyoperated valve.

LISANDER LQSURE'.

